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Home IL Places IL Meet & Eat More Steakhouses to Salivate Over

More Steakhouses to Salivate Over

By M+E Staff

Hello readers,

It’s time to check your mailbox-Illinois Meetings + Events’ brand-new Winter Issue has arrived. We hope you’ve been enjoying it and all the stories related to the best topic for winter: food!

For this issue’s Meet & Eat story, we profiled the great steakhouses Illinois has to offer, from classic Chicago staples to newer hot spots that add to the legacy. But the story 
doesn’t end there-in fact, we recently came across another great steakhouse chain we wanted to introduce you to: Eddie Merlot’s. Currently there are three locations in the state, including Lincolnshire, Burr Ridge and Warrenville, and there are more planned for the near future. 

At this inviting and sophisticated venue, you can enjoy prime aged steaks and fresh seafood (curated by Executive Chef Anthony Dee) and a comprehensive selection of wines (choose from 150 bottles or 75 by the glass). After all, the restaurant was named for owner Bill Humphries’ friend Ed, who always enjoyed a great steak and great vino. 

Some of the menu highlights include the Smokin’ Shrimp Cocktail, served over dry ice, and the Beef Carpaccio with capers, truffle aioli, balsamic glaze and extra virgin olive 
oil. For the main course, there are several cuts of steak to choose from, all hand-cut from the in-house butchery station. The most impressive is the Wagyu Tomahawk Ribeye, a 
28-ounce bone‐on chop. The Steak Diane is also a nice touch; it features tenderloin medallions flambéed with brandy and accented with mushrooms and herbed demi‐glace. For seafood lovers, the Cedar-Plank Salmon and Sesame Ahi Tuna are favorites. Plus, there’s an abundance of hearty sides and desserts to finish off the meal (the Bananas Foster and Carrot Cake have particularly caught our eye).

If you’re looking for a more casual atmosphere, the lounge at Eddie Merlot’s is a great spot to enjoy a drink and order signature items from the menu as well as charcuterie and 
small plates. The interiors of Eddie Merlot’s are quite inviting with open spaces, tall ceilings, light woods and huge windows. Outside, an alfresco patio is used almost year-round with fire towers that provide added ambiance.

Eddie Merlot’s can host groups from 10 to 300 with full buy-outs or semi-private dining rooms. In addition to providing specialized menus, the restaurant staff can assist planners in securing décor, entertainment and accommodations. With all these services, it’s just one more restaurant that shows Chicago’s steakhouse scene is well done.

A reminder: ILM+E’s 9th Annual Readers’ Choice Best Of Awards is now open for voting! You have until January 23 to submit your ballot.

Happy Planning!
 
Selena Fragassi
Editor
Illinois Meetings + Events

 

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